#JOURNEYJAPAN - NOZAWA ONSEN, PART 2

WE HEAD BY BULLET TRAIN TO THE JAPANESE MOUNTAINS IN SEARCH OF SUPURB POWDER AND #MOUNTAINADVENTURES.

Our #urbanmountainadventure continues through the streets of Tokyo and into the mountains - as we search for the ultimate powder and winter hotspots.

off to nagano

But before we hit the mountains, we have to see one of the most stunning city backdrops ever. It’s none other than Mount Fuji, Japan’s most famous mountain. At an elevation of 12,388 feet, with a crater 820 feet deep, Mount Fuji is the 35th most prominent mountain in the world. It’s also a climber #hotspot. People from everywhere love climbing here, making Mount Fuji the most climbed mountain in the world.

From Tokyo to the mountains - we jump on Shinkansen, the super-speedy Japanese bullet train. Tokyo high-rises become a blur as we travel at high-speed into amazing winter landscapes and snow-covered mountains. Our destination - Nozawa Onsen, a small village north of Nagano City.

the village

Nozawa Onsen village and snow resort is known for having the heaviest snowfall in Nagano Prefecture and has become a #hotspot for winter adventures. Here it’s all about powder snow, with skiers and snowboarders who are in-the-know travelling here to seek its superb powder. In the mountain top areas, the maximum snow accumulation can be more than 5m. On our list, it’s our must-visit Japanese #winterplayground.

Nozawa Onsen hotsprings is a destination like no other. The hot spring village is located at the foot of Kenashi-yama Mountain and dates back to 8th Century. The mineral water from the Nozawa hot springs is unrivalled in Japan. 30 natural springs supply the area and a soak in this water is our ultimate reward after a big day on the slopes.

After epic days in the mountains, the delicious food in Nozawa Onsen becomes too tempting. It’s the height of ski season and there’s over 100 restaurants and bars in the tiny village with mouthwatering street food dumplings. There’s also amazing traditional temples, shrines and Japanese guest houses “ryokan”.

powder and endless kilometres of slopes

The snow here is hard to match. We head up the mountains to one of the largest ski areas in Japan - with 50kms of epic trails and an awesome 1085 metres (3559 feet) of vertical descent. A blanket of the most superb power snow covers the resort. There’s plenty of room to move too. With so many trails, the mountain feels uncrowded with great visibility on piste. Throughout the season, the snow fall is known to be consistently good. Yamabiko area becomes one of our top picks for intermediate to advanced skiers.

So this is our epic #urbanmountainjourney to Japan. From sushi, neon lights and fast trains, to epic powder and hot springs, we’ve experienced amazing Japan. Kanpai!